The 1946âÂÂ47 season was Blackpool F.C.'s 39th season (36th consecutive) in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division One, then the top tier of English football, finishing fifth.
New signings included John Crosland (from local club Ansdell Rovers), George Dick, Jimmy McIntosh (from Preston North End), George McKnight, Sammy Nelson and Eddie Shimwell (from Sheffield United). Out went, amongst others, Dai Astley, Dick Burke, Malcolm Butler, the prolific goalscorer Jock Dodds (to Shamrock Rovers), Bobby Finan, Frank O'Donnell (to Aston Villa) and Alec Roxburgh.
Stan Mortensen was the club's top scorer for the third consecutive season, with 29 goals (28 in the league and one in the FA Cup).
Blackpool's first league game took them to Yorkshire to face Huddersfield Town on 31 August. Stan Mortensen, Jimmy Blair and Alex Munro got the visitors' goals in a 3âÂÂ1 victory.
Three more victories followed: 4âÂÂ2 against Brentford at Bloomfield Road (Mortensen, Willie Buchan (two) and Jimmy McIntosh the scorers), 2âÂÂ0 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers (George Eastham and Mortensen), and 1âÂÂ0 at Portsmouth (Eastham).
Eastham scored two more goals in the next game, at Sunderland, making it four in three games, but Blackpool lost 3âÂÂ2.
Another four-game win streak ended September and began October: 1âÂÂ0 at home to Aston Villa (Mortensen) on 21 September, 4âÂÂ3 at home to Portsmouth two days later (a Buchan hat-trick and Blair), 2âÂÂ1 at Derby County (Mortensen and McIntosh), and 2âÂÂ1 against Arsenal at Bloomfield Road (Mortensen and debutant George Dick).
On 12 October, Blackpool lost at Preston North End 0âÂÂ2 in the first West Lancashire derby of the season.
A week later, Blackpool hosted Manchester United at Bloomfield Road and won 3âÂÂ1, with George Farrow, Mortensen, and Dick the scorers for the home side.
Blackpool recorded their first draw of the campaign on 26 October â 1âÂÂ1 at Bolton Wanderers, McIntosh getting the Seasiders goal.
Chelsea visited Bloomfield Road on 2 November, and they returned to the capital pointless after a single-goal defeat. Blair scored the goal.
Blackpool travelled to Sheffield United the following weekend and lost 4âÂÂ2. A Mortensen penalty and an Eastham strike accounted for the Blackpool half of the scoreline.
Two more defeats ensued â 2âÂÂ3 at Grimsby Town (McIntosh and Mortensen) and 2âÂÂ4 at Leeds United (Hugh O'Donnell, in his only appearance of the season, and Mortensen).
Blackpool got back to winning ways on 30 November with a 3âÂÂ2 result against Liverpool at home. McIntosh, Blair and Mortensen were the scorers for the hosts.
Into December, Blackpool travelled to Stoke City and lost 4âÂÂ1 (Dick getting the Blackpool goal), before a heavy 5âÂÂ0 home defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough.
On 21 December, Blackpool visited Charlton Athletic, where a Buchan penalty was enough to give them both points.
On Christmas Day, Blackpool travelled to Lancashire neighbours Blackburn Rovers. Mortensen scored Blackpool's goal in a 1âÂÂ1 draw.
The following day, the return fixture, saw the first all-ticket game at Bloomfield Road. Mortensen's goal, his fourteenth of the season, gave Blackpool the victory.
On 28 December, Huddersfield Town visited Bloomfield Road, and goals by Dick and Buchan (a penalty) gave Blackpool a 2âÂÂ1 win.
The first game of 1947 took Blackpool to Wolves, where they lost 3âÂÂ1 (Mortensen getting the visitors' goal).
On 11 January, Blackpool travelled to Hillsborough for an FA Cup third-round tie with Sheffield Wednesday. Wednesday won 4âÂÂ1, with Mortensen scoring Blackpool's goal.
Sunderland completed the double over Blackpool on 18 January with a 5âÂÂ0 victory.
A draw followed, at Aston Villa, 1âÂÂ1, with Mortensen again finding the net for Blackpool.
On 1 February, Blackpool recorded one more in the win column with a 2âÂÂ1 edging of Derby County at Bloomfield Road, Munro and Dick getting the goals.
Seven days later, Blackpool travelled to London to face Arsenal and drew 1âÂÂ1, Mortensen adding to his season's tally.
The Tangerines exacted revenge on arch-rivals Preston North End after their 2âÂÂ0 victory back in October by beating them 4âÂÂ0 at Bloomfield Road on 15 February. Dick and Mortensen scored two apiece.
Blackpool's joy was short-lived, however: they lost 3âÂÂ0 at Manchester United seven days later, and then by a single goal at home to Bolton Wanderers.
For the fourth time this season, Blackpool strung four consecutive wins together, beginning on 8 March at Chelsea. Dick (two), Buchan and Mortensen were the Blackpool scorers in the 4âÂÂ1 scoreline. They also beat Sheffield United at home 4âÂÂ2 (Mortensen, Munro and another Dick double), Grimsby Town away, 3âÂÂ2 (two from Mortensen and one from George McKnight), and Leeds United at home, 3âÂÂ0, with the same scorers.
On 4 April, Blackpool drew 1âÂÂ1 with Everton at Goodison Park. Blackpool's goal came from a T. G. Jones own-goal.
Blackpool remained in Liverpool for the following day's game at Anfield. The visitors won 3âÂÂ2, with Mortensen (two) and Buchan getting their goals. It remained their last League double over the eventual champions for 64 years.
Everton travelled to Bloomfield Road two days later and won 3âÂÂ0.
Blackpool suffered a second consecutive home defeat (0âÂÂ2 on this occasion) when Stoke City visited on 12 April.
Middlesbrough hosted Blackpool the following week, and goals from Eastham and Mortensen gave the visitors both points in a 2âÂÂ1 scoreline.
The season was rounded off on 28 April with a visit by Charlton Athletic to Bloomfield Road. The match finished goalless.
Players used: 22
No appearances: Ewan Fenton
Players used: 11
Goals scored: 70 (plus one own-goal)
Goals scored: 1